One Shot. I do not own Harry Potter or any other characters. J.K. Rowling does.
The venerable Albus Dumbledore sat alone in his office amid him many rare and ancient tomes and artifacts. One which he looks at and sighs, as it no longer spins and puffs smoke letting him know that the Boy-Who-Lived was still alive. He had such hope for the Longbottom heir. He had been training the boy since he was six.
Oh he had never been the best student. He only seemed to have a talent for Herbology, and barely enough magic to use a wand. If he didn't know any better he would say the boy was just about a squib, but he knew better. The boy had come from a long line of purebloods. He was supposed to be powerful!
Albus sighed as he looked at the old issue of the Daily Prophet, it showed the mangled corpse of Neville Longbottom with the note attached that announced the return of Lord Voldemort. It caused massive panic among the peoples of Magical Great Britain. It took only 3 months after that announcement for Lord Voldemort to take control of the country.
Then, just as he was about to take on the muggles and conquer them, he was killed, along with his death, it caused the death of all his marked followers. Entire families were wiped out, the Notts, Malfoys, Lestranges, Parkinsons, Crabbes, and Goyles, and many other prominent pureblood families were gone. In one day 95 percent of the pureblood families in Britain were gone. With Voldemort killing many of those families that didn't agree with him, there was only a handful left in the entirety of Britain.
The Weasley family, one of his biggest supporters, was down to Arthur and his sons William and Charlie, the sons only surviving by working outside of the country. Arthur had only survived by being knocked unconscious when the Death Eaters attacked his home and killed his family. The horrors inflicted on his dear wife. His poor Ginny being lost to Slytherin's monster years before had taken a toll on the family and they had never been quite the same after her death. Poor Ronald, he was strewn all over the first floor of the family home. They never could find a piece bigger than a snitch. The twins were hit with the Entrail Expelling Curse, and Percy was beheaded with a Cutting Curse.
The same thing was done to many other families who resisted Voldemort's reign of terror. The only family not affected was the Tonks family. They had mysteriously moved from the country in Neville's 3rd year after the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban Prison.
Then Minister, Cornelius Fudge had insisted Dementors be placed around the school in the off chance Black headed there to finish his masters work and killing Neville. There was only one attempt to get in the Gryffindor common room before he stopped. There was one instance where it was reported he was seen in the Slytherin dorms, but that was preposterous. What would he be doing in there? Neville was in Gryffindor! After he had to force the Sorting Hat to put him there, otherwise the savior would have been put in Hufflepuff. No one respects a badger! He needed to be a brave proud lion!
He sighed as he thought about Neville. He had training before Hogwarts by the great Albus Dumbledore! When he reached Hogwarts he was supposed to show he was the future leader of the light after, with his help, defeating Voldemort for good and redeeming all his misguided followers.
The tasks he set up throughout his Hogwarts years were supposed to help him prepare for his destiny in facing off with Voldemort.
The Sorcerer's Stone was kept out of the hand of Voldemort in his first year by unknown forces. He left all the clues for him to find, and solve the mystery of what was hidden on the third floor corridor. He showed no interest at all in any of them. He remembered almost losing his job after the incident with the troll let in by Quirrell who was working with Voldemort. Poor Hermione Granger was almost killed by the beast. She was knocked unconscious by rubble created by the troll smashing the bathroom. He never did find out who saved her life and killed the troll. That incident caused him no amount of troubles. Her parents pulled such a promising young student out of Hogwarts. Last he heard she graduated the top of her class at Beauxbatons. Such talent lost to the French!
His second year almost saw him imprisoned after the fiasco with the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. Student's being petrified left and right. Thank goodness he set up wards to redirect the mail of the students who mentioned what was going on at the school. It was a clever bit of magic on his part that prevented them from talking about it either with their families over the holidays. He knew the monster was lived somewhere near the bathroom where Moaning Myrtle haunted, but he could never pinpoint where it was. The wards of Hogwarts were no help either, Slytherin his Chamber from them. It was when Ginny Weasley disappeared that what was happening at Hogwarts came to light. He had to use all his favors and political power to keep his jobs. There was talk about closing the school, when the message written on the wall outside the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle, that spoke of her being taken into the Chamber, was crossed out and had "Taken care of the problem. The girl was eaten." Written under the original message. This caused outrageous pain for the Weasley family who had confirmation that the youngest member of their family was dead. It did turn out to be true as the attacks stopped, and those who were petrified were restored by the Mandrake Drought brewed up by his potions master Severus Snape. Again Neville did nothing to try and solve the mystery of what was attacking the school. He was acting scared!
Poor Severus, he too died when Voldemort was killed. He rather liked the man and his brooding nature, it reminded him of Gellert. Oh how he wished for the old days before wars and betrayals.
Third year he was glad he could say he nothing to do with the fiasco of the Dementors. One student, Harry Potter, had an abnormally bad reaction to them. He had never bothered to ask why. The boy was a slimy snake, who cared about them.
Now that Albus thought about that boy, he remembered he could be the other prophecy child. He was actually born on the 31st of July, compared to Neville's 30th. He had shown the promise that Neville lacked. Top of his class, had lots of magical potential, and he was there with Neville when he was attacked by Voldemort, when both of their parents were betrayed by Black who gave the secret to finding them to Voldemort. Both lost their parents who died to protect them. When the curse was turned back on Voldemort, Neville was left with a V shaped scar on his cheek (left by falling ceiling material when the walls of the room exploded by the magical backlash) and the Potter boy was left with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. He took the V to mean Voldemort, so proclaimed him the Boy-Who-Lived while Potter was shipped to his Muggle relatives. He was still convinced it was Neville. He was a pureblood, compared to Potter's half-blood status.
Fourth year saw Neville's entrance into the Triwizard Tournament. He was jumping for joy in his mind when this happened. Now would be the perfect opportunity for Neville to show his potential to the world. Unfortunately, this caused the poor to pass out in front of all three schools. The boy's reputation had taken a hit when it was found out he was little better than a squib after he started school. His actions caused a media storm, calling him a cheat and a coward. Worse they questioned how a below average powered student got his name across his Age Line. He hated when he was questioned. Didn't they see what he did was for the Greater Good?
Poor Neville never finished a single task. On the first task against the nesting mother Horntail, he passed out before the time even started. He was given zeros by all the judges for his efforts. The second task saw him fail to retrieve his hostage from the bottom of the lake. While his knowledge of Herbology led him to Gillyweed, he was attacked by grindylows and had to be rescued before he was killed by them. He also had problems with the French champion's hostage. He planned to use her little sister who was at the school to watch the tournament, but when he went to get her, she was missing. He was forced to use her date from the Yule Ball instead. The French Champion put in a token effort to retrieve her hostage, but quit before she reached the Merpeople Village. He had forgotten that the Veela and Merpeople were at war. She would have been killed on sight. It was a good thing he couldn't find her sister. HE would have created an international disaster. The third task saw the death of Cedric Diggory, and the rise of Voldemort. Neville made it passed the first obstacle as he fainted when confronted with a boggart. Diggory's body was sent back via portkey after it was used in a dark ritual to resurrect Voldemort. He only found this out thanks to his spy Severus, who was once again called into service as his spy on Voldemort. Apparently it was supposed to be Neville who made it to the Cup, which was a portkey to Voldemort's ritual site. Peter Pettigrew was tortured for having to use the wrong person. Barty Crouch Jr. who spent the year polyjuiced as Professor Moody, was killed for his failure to ensure Neville made it to the ritual.
Albus dared not make any declarations that Voldemort was back after the tournament. There was an uproar at the death of one of the competitors. He was once again in hot water with the press and Ministry for failing to keep his promise of safety for those competing. In response to this they sent a Ministry flunky to teach Defense Neville's fifth year. Along with reports of her torturing students, who weren't purebloods, by blood quill, she sacked teachers with her growing powers given to her by the Minister. She was poised to take over the school the next year when she was recalled back to the Ministry due to the horrible test results at the end of the year.
It wasn't until the end of Neville's seventh year when he was kidnapped from Hogsmead, during a weekend the students were allowed to visit the village, and brutally killed and sent with a message to the press saying that Voldemort had returned.
People panicked and turned to Dumbledore to save them, he did his best, but Voldemort still took over the country. Just as it looked as he was about to wipe out the last resistance at Hogwarts, he was killed. No one was taking credit for it. That was troubling for Albus Dumbledore. He prided himself on his knowledge on all things Voldemort, and he had no clue how it was done.
It had been 5 months since the defeat of Voldemort, and Magical Britain was struggling to recover after the war. Hundreds, maybe over a thousand had died on both sides. Magical Britain was very small so all these losses were felt. After all the fighting, the only teacher he had left alive after the battles was Professor Flitwick. His former professional dueling career had saved his, and many others lives. Minerva was killed by Voldemort himself at a battle in Diagon Alley. Hagrid, bless his soul, was killed by a group of over 30 Death Eaters, as he fought to protect students after an invasion of Hogsmeade. The others had been lost in skirmishes at the ward boundary of Hogwarts.
Just as he was pondering more deaths and how Voldemort was defeated, he was interrupted by a knock at his office door. After granting permission for them to enter, he was surprised to see Harry Potter of all people with his new wife Daphne Greengrass.
Their marriage was no surprise to those who attended Hogwarts. They were ever only seen associating with each other. They had no other friends throughout their Hogwarts career. The pretty blond had caught many eyes with her beauty, but her cold attitude, and the wrath of Potter for those who made moves on her, prevented any chance other boys had with the pureblood heiress. Potter himself had many girls at school drooling over his looks. He grew up to be taller than his father at about 6'2", compared to James Potter's 5'9", but had his father's complexion and messy hair. Although those Killing Curse green eyes, he inherited from his mother. Albus also noticed that the scar that had been on his forehead that was always red and swollen, when he saw him around Hogwarts, was very faint now, almost nonexistent.
"I'm sure you are wondering why we are here Dumbledore." Harry said in his deep voice.
"I must admit I am curious." Dumbledore said in his best grandfatherly voice. "It's not often I get visits I my office from former students. How's married life treating you?"
"It's wonderful." Daphne said in her velvety soft voice. "Harry is the perfect husband." As she looked at her new husband in a loving manner.
"It is you my dear that have made me into the man I am today." Harry said as he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.
"Ahh young love. I remember when your parents had just gotten married Mr. Potter. So in love they were." Albus said with his famous eye twinkle.
Harry acknowledged the comment with a nod of his head before saying, "We came here to answer some questions you undoubtedly have over the defeat of Voldemort."
At this Albus sat up much straighter and demanded, "What do you know?"
"We know everything. I was the one who killed him." Harry said smirking at the gaping Dumbledore.
"But Neville was the Boy" he was cut off by a scoff from Daphne.
"He was little better than a squib and you know it. You chose the wrong boy that night." She said smugly.
"No." Albus said in horror as he paled deathly white.
"Yes. I was the true Boy-Who-Lived." Harry said with a smile seeing the very pale Dumbledore. "I stopped the shade of Voldemort my first year from getting the Sorcerer's Stone my first year. A cutting curse to the back stopped him dead." Harry said laughing at his joke. His wife only rolled her eyes at the lame joke.
"What about the monster?! Did you stop that?" asked Dumbledore. He was finally getting answers to his long held questions.
"Yes. A rooster will kill a Basilisk very easily." Harry said smugly.
"But all of Hagrid's had been killed at the time." He said remembering the former half giant's complaints of something killing his roosters.
"That's what magic is for is it not? I transfigured one out of a pebble."
"What of the Weasley girl? Was she really eaten by the beast?" he could finally tell Arthur the truth of what happened to his little girl.
At this question Harry looked uncomfortable. His wife answered for him, "She was crushed by falling debris from the monster's death struggles. Her body was not recoverable."
"Did you save Miss Granger as well your first year?" he got a nod in return to his question.
"Who was controlling the beast?"
"A horcrux was possessing miss Weasley. I destroyed it with the venom of the basilisk."
"Voldemort made those abominations?! Did you destroy them all? Could he come back?" Albus demanded standing up and slamming his hands on his desk.
The couple was unfazed by his actions and remained calm.
"We got them all. There was a very useful book in the Black Library on how to find them and destroy them." Harry said simply keeping his face neutral at this revelation.
"How do you know Black? He was a Death Eater!" Albus was getting worried. Could these two be unmarked supporters of Voldemort and were taking his place in the power vacuum of Britain.
"NO! He was innocent. He was my godfather who was thrown in Azkaban without a trial! He came here in my third year to find me and protect me from Peter Pettigrew who was posing as a rat." Harry said heatedly.
Dumbledore sat down deflated, they weren't going Dark. He looked up with tired eyes and asked, "Voldemort is really gone then?"
"Yes he is. And we made sure when he died he took his bastard followers with him. They were just as evil as Voldemort."
"They could have been saved. Redeemed for their actions!" Dumbledore argued.
"No. They were rapists and murderers and needed to die." Spat Harry.
"What gave you the right to do that? To kill so many? You are just as bad as they were in my eyes." Dumbledore countered.
"Our bosses at the ICW told us to take him and his followers out and we did." Daphne said.
"Why would they ask you to do that? When did you start working for them?" Dumbledore asked confused. He was the supreme Mugwump, how did he not know this?
"That's above your paygrade Dumbledore. We are only telling you things as we have one more job to do in Britain before we are sent somewhere else." Daphne said as she looked over at Dumbledore's phoenix, which burst into flame, as it was time for its burning day.
"What is that?" Dumbledore said as he sat back and popped a lemon drop from the dish on his desk into his mouth.
"Why your elimination of course. People in the ICW don't like how you have led Britain to ruin. They feel it's time for some new blood to step in." Daphne said with a vicious smile on her face.
Dumbledore went to reach for his wand, but found out his body wasn't responding the way it was supposed to. He was finding it hard to breathe as well. "What did you do to me?" he croaked out painfully.
"Poisoned your candy. We knew you would eat them while we were talking. A wandless switching spell with the poisoned ones in my pocket, and you'd never be the wiser." Harry said with a smirk.
Now Dumbledore knew why they came today. Fawkes had a very predictable burning day schedule. With Fawkes having just had his burning day, he was in no position to offer help to the dying old man.
"Say hi to Tom in hell for us. That's were a manipulative bastard like you is going." Harry said as he went over and gently scooped up the baby phoenix and conjured a small box to keep him in. "We'll make sure he is very well taken care of." Harry said as he and his wife exited his office for the last time, leaving the old man to die alone.
Albus Dumbledore was found three days later in his office by a surprised Professor Flitwick.
His funeral was small and held at Hogwarts where he was entombed in a marble casket overlooking Black Lake. There were very few people in attendance because so many had been killed during the war, and many felt like Dumbledore should have done more to stop it. There was one representative from the ICW to offer their condolences to his brother Aberforth, and to confirm that the old meddler was finally dead.
After the funeral, the ICW sent in officials who took over the running of Magical Britain as they felt the Ministry of Magic had spent the last 30 or so years involved with a war based on blood purity, the Statute of Secrecy had been severely tested. The muggle government was asking questions the Ministry couldn't really handle. It was time for a change, and the ICW was going to be in charge of it.
The changes took over ten years to implement. There was heavy resentment by the surviving magical population, and here were a few riots that had to be forcefully broken up. Many of the corruptions in the government were exposed, the lack of trial for Sirius Black being one of the first published. He was cleared of all charges by an ICW High Court when questioned under truth serum. He was to be compensated by the Ministry for all his years of unlawful imprisonment.
The Death Eater's vaults were seized and confiscated by the ICW run Ministry. Those who had legitimate claims were awarded damages, the rest was to be used to rebuild the country from the damage caused by Voldemort and his followers.
Harry and Daphne Potter were instrumental in the rebuilding of Magical Britain, he was quickly voted in as Minster of Magic, when open public elections were held 25 years after the takeover. He was fair in his dealing with both the magicals and muggles.
It was never revealed how Voldemort or his followers were killed, but it was a secret passed down in the Potter Family Grimoire, along with Fawkes the phoenix.